Perceptions of what healthcare engineering ‘is’ are often confined to the end products of research and innovation found in hospitals. In reality, the field encompasses a breadth of research and technology that assist people in various ways at various times. An example of this is MUJO, a new ‘connected healthcare’ company providing focused rehabilitation of the major body joints. The Multiple Joint Fitness Systems, or MU.JO, combine smart exercise devices and cloud analytics to bring data-driven treatment to users.

Healthcare engineering is an exciting space to be working right now. The medtech industry has monumental year-on-year growth, the work that feeds into healthcare represents the vast majority of engineering innovation, and the industry epitomises the intersection of technology with human experience. On top of this, not only do innovations in the sector revolutionise the lives of patients, clinicians, and researchers, but a variety of new technologies from other fields are now finding their way into the industry as well.

Healthcare is a hub of multidisciplinary innovation, fusing cutting-edge sector technologies with innovative technologies from outside it. This fusion – in combination with the ever-reducing cost of technology – has led to a new wave of bespoke, low-cost applications that act to reduce the various barriers to effective healthcare.

The Internet of Things

From face recognition on our phones to Alexa virtual assistants — our lives are being fundamentally revolutionised by waves of new tech. We are developing smart cities, littering roads and traffic systems with sensors to monitor carbon monoxide levels and push traffic along, and our vehicles are soon to be autonomous. In the business world, new innovations are automating time-consuming and repetitive tasks, creating efficiencies and enhanced productivity never previously imagined.

But whilst hyper-connectivity and the Internet of Things produce a myriad of benefits, they also leave us more vulnerable to an increasingly sophisticated cyber-threat landscape.

After last month’s focus on diversity in engineering, Annelies Tjebbes, a Social Innovator and Biomedical Engineer, introduces us to a research project that pairs innovative technology with a poignant social issue. Through it, she shows us the extraordinary impact of engineering when interacting with a true diversity of experience and voices.

For example, how often do you get the chance to sit around the room with an artist, a tech wizard, a visionary senior, a rehabilitation coordinator, and a former inmate? For Annelies, it actually happened quite recently.

Given 2018 politics and the growing number of cybercriminals, what event showcases extensive, global cybersecurity threats better than the FIFA World Cup?

As we recently discussed in our previous article on Uptane, the internet has produced an era of increasing hyperconnectivity. While it may, at times, appear convenient —the problem lies in our ability to secure it all. There are now so many devices running on so many different networks that securing everything can be a logistical nightmare.

Cybercriminals have an artillery of tools at their disposal and a breadth of targets with which to direct them towards. What’s more, the ‘reputational reward’ for cybercriminal groups is on the rise, and the geopolitical landscape is becoming increasingly complex. As such, high-profile networks, governing bodies, and events are becoming prime targets for cyberattacks.

To that end, what event provides a better example of international cybersecurity challenges than the FIFA World Cup?

The Internet is one of the most revolutionary technologies ever developed, producing a level of hyper-connectivity that has fundamentally changed the way we behave. Unfortunately, this connectivity is also the Internet’s greatest weakness. Trishank Karthik Kuppusamy, Chief Security Solutions Engineer at Datadog, Inc. talks us through the security landscape and outlines how new software developments can help to keep drivers safe on the roads.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the world as we know it. It’s not just the tech world that’s feeling the heat. AI has seamlessly become a part of our everyday lives without us even realizing it.

The realm of online security and cybercrime is an interesting space to watch. After the Hollywood limelight sensationalised them for years, the two topics are now moving away from popular culture. Lately, they’re located either in midst of socio-political debate or spread across the world’s media headlines.

Yet, at the same time, the field is a cornerstone of innovation. Rapid developments and the application of these innovations are paving the way forward for society. Funding continues to increase, and the perception of engineers in this area remains positive. The 2017 Create the Future report shows that 82% of international respondents see engineers as crucial to online security. As such, what is the state of engineering in this cybersecurity? Are advancements progressing as a self-contained endeavour, or are they more tightly interwoven with other processes? While the battle between engineers and cybercriminals rages on, where does the public fit?